Franks right, i have been welding for over 40 yrs, oxy, stick, mig and finally took the challange and got tig, it does produce nice looking welds with allmost no clean up work but takes a lot of practice to get it right, and i think thats the key to it, keep practicing everyday till it becomes easier.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Lincoln makes a couple of 220 units that work fine on steel up to 1/4". You can have the parts necessary to weld aluminum installed when you purchase it. Mig welding aluminum is fairly simple, much easier than TIG. The major issue being that aluminum does not change color as you heat it, while you can learn to "read" steel fairly quickly.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

You do have to switch liners to weld aluminum, regardless of brand. I believe aluminum uses a teflon liner, and the shielding gas has to be 100% argon.

I have (and love!) a Lincoln PowerMig 200, a model that I believe has since been replaced, as I bought it over 10 years ago. I can choke it down for sheet metal work, or unleash the fury and go through 1/2" material in a single pass. Admittedly, I've never needed to.

My advice would be to get a Lincoln (I like red tools) in the 170 range. Should still work pretty well with a 100V circuit, and it's big enough to get into some light chassis work.

EDIT: Don't even consider a MIG that's not set up with shielding gas. Get tanks that are bigger than you think you'll need.

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial

I have a Hobert 140 and love it. Bought it over 15 years ago and it has never given me any problems. I have used it for steel and aluminum with no changes except for gas as long as you use the same gauge wire. They aren't the cheapest out there. I bought mine and a big argon tank for $721, but it has paid for itself many times.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

I haven't had any issues with tripping circuit breakers. The instructions say to use a 20, might be 25 amp breaker for use with the highest setting. I've not yet needed the highest setting. You can use that thing to weld all day on sheet metal. If you have a 35 amp breaker then you should have no problems.


Lawrenceville, GA

What I have read is that aluminum wire needs a different guiding tube in MIG welders than is used with normal steel wire. Don't know if that is true with Lincoln brand.

I use TIG welder cause we have one here at my work. I have not tried to weld aluminum with MIG, but I know it can be done and well.

BTW, that intake I made was my first object in aluminum welding and thus the seams are what they are. But it works some how. Also I have few ideas about long runner intakes, but for now I focus all my time and energy to our altered dragster.

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

I use one of these

//http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002PS7SA/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0017Z05P2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0NVDGXZ1Y6MQJ2VB7XN0 

I use a mix of argon/ co2. I have about a half a dozen welders all the way up to 440 amps, but the Hobart 140 is the best I have ever used on patch panels. And it will weld up to 1/4" mild steel. I keep it at the house and plug it in anywhere. They are supposed to weld aluminum, but is difficult because the wire will bird nest in the machine. I have a Millermatic 251 with a push pull gun dedicated to aluminum wire.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

Do you have any trouble with tripping circuit breakers on typical house 110/120 V systems? I can run a 5 gallon air compressor on mine with a max 35 Amp breaker in the service panel without tripping the breaker most of the time.



Mark Hebard

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Not quite but it will do what you need to do. Mine goes up to 135 amps where that one maxes out at 85.



This is the most similar to what I have

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LCN-K2697-1/


Lawrenceville, GA

Charlie,

Is this the welder you mentioned?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/LCN-K2185-1/

Mark Hebard



57 Black Tbird 312/auto